“We wantedan honesty and simplicitythat reflectedwhat the building was”

What Coleman and Frankel inherited from the
former owner, a noted design firm, was far too
stylized and hip for them. “We wanted an honesty and
simplicity that reflected what the building was,” he
says. So, Neil and Cindy returned the space to its roots,
stripping away all ornamentation and unnecessary
walls until only an empty, heavenly shell with sealed-concrete floors and eight support columns remained.
The pilasters produce a natural division into twelve
18 by 18 foot bays, with the center of each bay being
the axis around which activities are grouped. Only
three rooms are walled in, done at the behest of the
couple’s young daughter, who wanted a little privacy,
thank you. Nonetheless, to preserve the open feel, the
partitions for bedrooms are constructed of opaque
glass and stand nine feet high, whereas the ceiling
reaches 12 feet high.

Throughout, the palette maintains a contemporary
flavor intended to serve as a neutral backdrop to the
desires du jour: Walls are white; wood is lacquered to a
light gray; horizontal surfaces, such as the kitchen and
bathroom counters, are clear glass; and the supports on
counters and furniture are stainless steel. Color, save
for one wall in the entryway that is repainted at will
and could end up red at a moments notice, is limited to
gray, white, brown and black. Within this setting, the
couple places their admired art and furniture collection,
pulled from classic Bauhaus to contemporary sources,
with favorites designed by Frank Gehry, Alvar Aalto,
Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.